"The boat ride is incredible over to the farm and the food is delicious for a buffet! Loved watching the farm show too"
Lake Whakatipu · 3.5 hours from Beach Street · cruise both ways, BBQ and farm show · from about $99
Queenstown Tours: the Guided Day Tours From Town, Compared
Guided half days that start in town: Walter Peak by boat, the TSS Earnslaw, a Gibbston wine tour and a Lord of the Rings 4WD. Here is where each one starts, how long you spend getting there, and RealNZ's Walter Peak BBQ cruise rated 4.8 from 3,194 reviews.
From
$99
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 3,194 reviews
- 45 min Each Way by Boat
- 2 hours At Walter Peak
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Walter Peak BBQ Cruise Includes
In the operator's own words: the return cruise, a BBQ buffet at the Colonel's Homestead, a farm dog show and onboard commentary. Drinks are not included.
In the Operator's Own Words
- Return cruise across scenic Lake Whakatipu on your vessel of choice
- Gourmet BBQ buffet made from local and homegrown produce
- Lakeside dining on the shore of Walter Peak High Country Farm
- Enjoy a skilful farm dog show about life on a working farm
- Savor morning or afternoon tea at the charming old woolshed on the farm
What's Included
- Round-trip cruise across the lake and back to Queenstown
- Gourmet BBQ lunch or dinner
- Farm demonstration
- Commentary onboard
Good to know: Cruise is subject to favorable weather conditions; if canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or a full refund · Non-slip shoes are recommended · If you require more information on wheelchair accessibility both on the TSS Earnslaw and Walter Peak farm, please do not hesitate to ask · Suitable for all ages · Our Vessels are cash free and we reserve the right to refuse cash as a means of payment when purchasing products or services · Both vessels will undergo scheduled maintenance in each year · Note: The TSS Earnslaw will undergo annual maintenance between May 18th - June 27th 2026. The Spirit of Queenstown vessel will be available during this time · Not Included: Drinks
How the Walter Peak BBQ Cruise Works
Four steps, from the RealNZ Visitor Centre on Beach Street to the lake crossing back to town.
Meet at the RealNZ Visitor Centre
The tour starts at the RealNZ Queenstown Visitor Centre at 88 Beach Street, a one-minute walk from the vessel. The listing offers two vessels, the TSS Earnslaw steamship or the Spirit of Queenstown catamaran, as separate options. Start times vary; check availability for the day you want.
Cruise 45 Minutes to Walter Peak
The crossing of Lake Whakatipu takes 45 minutes, with commentary onboard. The bar sells drinks and snacks, which are not included in the price. The cruise runs subject to the weather; if it is cancelled for poor weather, you are offered another date or a full refund.
BBQ at the Colonel's Homestead
Two hours at Walter Peak High Country Farm. The buffet at the lakeside Colonel's Homestead Restaurant has salads, vegetables and local meats from the wood-fired BBQ, then desserts, bread and cheese. The farm show follows: farm dogs working sheep, and the other farm animals.
Cruise Back to Queenstown
Time left over goes to the lakeside gardens before the 45-minute cruise back to the Visitor Centre. The listing says the tour suits all ages and is wheelchair accessible; ask the operator about access on your vessel. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
Photo Gallery
Queenstown's Lake and Farm Tours in Photos
Photos from the operators' own listings on the booking platform.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. The listing's terms: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Three Queenstown Day Tours
The Walter Peak BBQ cruise, the Gibbston wine tour and the Lord of the Rings 4WD, compared from each operator's listing: where it starts, how long it runs, what is included and who it is not for. Prices as of October 2026.
| Feature | OUR PICK Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Cruise (RealNZ) | Wine & Food Tour, Paired Lunch (Queenstown Wine Trail) | Lord of the Rings 4WD, Half Day (Nomad Adventures) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starts From | From about $99 per person | From about $158 per person | From about $178 per person |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 from 3,194 reviews | 4.9 / 5 from 367 reviews | 4.7 / 5 from 405 reviews |
| Length | 3.5 hours, Queenstown and back | 5.5 hours, Queenstown and back | 4 hours, Queenstown and back |
| Start Point | RealNZ Queenstown Visitor Centre, 88 Beach Street | Outside Red Rock Bar Cafe, 48 Camp Street; pickup from selected accommodation on request | Info & Track / Info & Snow, 37 Shotover Street; central accommodation pickup on request |
| Getting There vs Being There | 45 minutes cruising each way, 2 hours at Walter Peak | 30 minutes in the van each way, tastings at three Gibbston wineries | A 4WD tour with stops around the Wakatipu Basin, Arrowtown and Skippers Canyon |
| What Is Included | Return cruise, BBQ lunch or dinner, farm demonstration, commentary | Three hosted winery tastings, a main meal with a matching glass of wine, a wine guide | 6-seater 4WD, driver-guide, commentary in English, gold panning, refreshments |
| Not Included | Drinks | Gratuities | Lunch |
| Group Size and Limits | Suitable for all ages; wheelchair accessible per the listing | Not for children under 18 | Up to 6 per vehicle; minimum 2 paying adults (4 on public holidays) |
| Weather | Subject to the weather; another date or a full refund if cancelled | Not stated in the listing | Runs in all weather conditions |
| Best For | One free half day, families, a lake crossing with a meal | Adults who want Gibbston's cellar doors without driving | Small groups who want river crossings and back roads |
| Check Availability | See the Wine Tour | See the 4WD Tour |
Six More Guided Days From Queenstown
Other Queenstown Day Tours
A farm tour and a horse trek at Walter Peak, the TSS Earnslaw on its own, a shorter lake cruise, a Gibbston wine tour with lunch and a 4WD tour of film locations. Titles are the operators' own; prices are the booking platform's.
GUIDED FARM TOUR AND TEAQueenstown: Queenstown Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Tour
A 3.5-hour trip from the RealNZ Visitor Centre in Queenstown: a cruise to Walter Peak High Country Farm, a guided farm tour with a nature guide and a morning or afternoon tea.
STEAMSHIP ONLY, 90 MINUTESQueenstown: TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu
A 90-minute cruise on Lake Whakatipu aboard the coal-fired TSS Earnslaw from Queenstown, with guide commentary, a small onboard museum and a look into the engine room.
THREE GIBBSTON WINERIESQueenstown: Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch
A 5.5-hour wine tour from Camp Street in Queenstown to three Gibbston wineries, with hosted tastings, a main meal paired with a glass of wine and a specialist wine guide.
4WD, RIVER CROSSINGSQueenstown: Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour - Half Day
A 4-hour 4WD tour from 37 Shotover Street for up to 6 people: film locations around the Wakatipu Basin, a gold mining road near Arrowtown, gold panning and refreshments.
SHORTEST LAKE CRUISEQueenstown: Lake Whakatipu Boat Trip
A 90-minute cruise on Lake Whakatipu from the RealNZ Visitor Centre in Queenstown, with the skipper's commentary and an onboard cafe and bar selling drinks and platters.
HORSE TREK, FIRST TIMERS OKQueenstown: Walter Peak Horse Trek & Queenstown Lake Cruise
A 3.5-hour trip from Queenstown: a return cruise to Walter Peak, a 40-45 minute horse trek for small groups with a guide, and morning or afternoon tea at the farm.
Choosing a Queenstown Day Tour
Which Queenstown Tour Is Yours?
Where each tour starts, how much of it is spent on the lake or the road, what the wine tour and the 4WD actually cover, and what changes with the season.
Most Queenstown tours that start in town are half days, and the best known start at the lake. Queenstown is the busiest base on the South Island: in GetYourGuide’s catalogue in October 2026 it lists 306 products and about 39,900 reviews, close to two in five of all the island’s reviews. This page covers the guided days that leave from the town centre and come back the same afternoon: the Walter Peak crossings, the TSS Earnslaw, a Gibbston wine tour and a 4WD tour of film locations. Our pick is RealNZ’s Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ cruise, from $99 per person and rated 4.8 from 3,194 reviews: 45 minutes across Lake Whakatipu, two hours at a high country farm with a BBQ buffet and a farm dog show, and 45 minutes back.
See dates for the Walter Peak BBQ →
Why base yourself in Queenstown for day tours
The tours on this page need no car and no early coach. RealNZ’s lake tours start at its Visitor Centre on Beach Street or at the vessel, the wine tour meets on Camp Street, and the 4WD tour picks up on Shotover Street. Two of the lake tours say parking is not available, so walk or leave the car at your accommodation. None of them runs longer than 5.5 hours, so a Queenstown day tour from this page still leaves part of the day free.
Longer Queenstown day tours go further. The coach days to Aoraki/Mount Cook are on the Mount Cook tours page, and milfordsoundtouroptions.com compares the ways to Milford Sound. If you are weighing a car against tours for the whole trip, see guided tours or self-drive.
The Queenstown day tours compared
| Tour | From | Rating (reviews) | Length | Start point | On the water or road vs at the place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise (RealNZ) | $99 | 4.8 (3,194) | 3.5 h | RealNZ Visitor Centre, 88 Beach St | 1.5 h cruising, 2 h at Walter Peak |
| Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Tour (RealNZ) | $79 | 4.8 (1,144) | 3.5 h | RealNZ Visitor Centre | Cruise both ways; split not listed |
| TSS Earnslaw Cruise of Lake Whakatipu (RealNZ) | $67 | 4.7 (1,416) | 1.5 h | At the TSS Earnslaw | All 1.5 h on the steamship |
| Walter Peak Horse Trek & Lake Cruise (RealNZ) | $158 | 4.6 (309) | 3.5 h | Vessel of your choice from Queenstown | 1.5 h cruising, 40-45 min riding, then tea |
| Lake Whakatipu Boat Trip (RealNZ) | $45 | 4.7 (649) | 1.5 h | RealNZ Visitor Centre | All 1.5 h on the lake |
| Wine & Food Tour, Tastings & Paired Lunch (Queenstown Wine Trail) | $158 | 4.9 (367) | 5.5 h | Outside Red Rock Bar Cafe, Camp St | About 1 h in the van to and from Gibbston, 3.5 h at three wineries |
| Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour, Half Day (Nomad Adventures) | $178 | 4.7 (405) | 4 h | 37 Shotover St | A 4WD tour with stops; no split listed |
Prices, ratings and review counts from our October 2026 data check; operators use seasonal pricing, so treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.
All prices are per person, and every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours before.
Lake Whakatipu: which boat, which farm
Four of the seven tours are RealNZ products built on the same crossing. The TSS Earnslaw, a coal-fired steamship the operator dates to 1912, runs a 90-minute cruise on its own for $67, with a small onboard museum and an engine room where you can watch the stokers feed the fire. The Walter Peak tours use the Earnslaw or the Spirit of Queenstown catamaran, 45 minutes each way, and add the farm in three ways: the BBQ buffet ($99), a guided farm tour with morning or afternoon tea ($79), or a 40-45 minute horse trek for small groups of up to 6 ($158). The listings sell the two vessels as separate options at different prices, so check which one your date shows.
The BBQ is the fullest of the three. A guest from the United Kingdom wrote: “the food at Walters peak was fantastic and the sheepdog show was a bonus.” The farm tour suits families who want to meet sheep, alpacas and highland cows, in the listing’s words. The cheapest time on the water is the $45 boat trip, a 90-minute cruise with a skipper’s commentary and a cafe and bar on board.
A Queenstown wine tour in Gibbston
The Queenstown wine tour here is Queenstown Wine Trail’s 5.5-hour day, from $158 per person and rated 4.9 from 367 reviews, the highest rating on this page. A van takes 30 minutes to Gibbston, the Central Otago wine valley where the Gibbston Valley estate makes pinot noir. The itinerary lists a tasting and a one-hour lunch at Kinross, a one-hour tasting at Mt Rosa and a tasting at Gibbston Valley Winery, then 30 minutes back. Lunch is a main meal with a matching glass of wine, chosen from the menu. Gratuities are not included, the tour is not for under-18s, and pickup from selected accommodation can be arranged with the operator after booking.
The Lord of the Rings 4WD tour
Nomad Adventures’ four-hour tour is a Land Rover or Land Cruiser day for up to 6 people: the Wakatipu Basin and The Remarkables, Queenstown Hill, the Kawarau Gorge, then a historic gold mining road up the Arrow River with river crossings, gold panning and the entrance to Skippers Canyon. The film is the frame, not the whole day. A guest from Australia put it plainly: “Around 1/4 LOTR and 3/4 everything else.” Lunch is not included, and the tour needs at least 2 paying adults to run (4 on New Zealand public holidays).
Book by the day you want:
Lake crossing, BBQ and farm show
Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise
Three and a half hours from Beach Street: 45 minutes across the lake each way and two hours at Walter Peak for the BBQ buffet and the farm dog show.
Check dates →Gibbston wineries, lunch included
Queenstown: Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch
Five and a half hours: hosted tastings at three Gibbston wineries and a main meal paired with a glass of wine, with a specialist wine guide.
See this tour →Off-road, up to 6 people
Queenstown: Lord of the Rings 4WD Tour - Half Day
Four hours of film locations, river crossings on a gold mining road near Arrowtown, gold panning and the entrance to Skippers Canyon.
See this tour →Season and what to expect
The lake cruises run subject to the weather. If RealNZ cancels for poor weather, it offers another date or a full refund. The TSS Earnslaw is taken out of service for annual maintenance each year (in 2026 from 18 May to 27 June), and the Spirit of Queenstown runs the Walter Peak trips in that window; the listing shows the dates. The 4WD tour runs in all weather, so dress for it. RealNZ recommends non-slip shoes on its boats, and its vessels are cash free.
Who each tour suits
First-time visitors with one free half day: the BBQ cruise. Families with young children: the farm tour, or the horse trek if everyone is at least 7 years old and 120 cm tall (riders up to 95 kg). Steamship enthusiasts on a budget: the Earnslaw cruise alone. Couples and groups of adults: the wine tour. Anyone who wants to get off the sealed roads: the 4WD. For another lake about 70 km away over the Crown Range, see Wanaka tours, and for how Queenstown fits a longer trip, see the South Island itinerary by base town.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say
4.8/5
from 3,194 verified guests
"Fantastic cruise on the TSS Earnslaw steamer ship. We had a beautiful day and the scenery was spectacular on the water. The BBQ lunch at Walter Peak Station was a highlight and exceeded our expectations. It was lovely and a huge buffet to choose from with a variety of food to suit everyone. The wait staff were attentive and friendly too. Would definitely do this trip again."
"It was a beautiful day! Delicious food with good variety. Would do it again"
"Wonderful food, location, property and hosts. Cannot wait to visit again."
"this is an amazing experience, the trip over to and back on the Earnslaw was lovely and smooth. the staff and the food are amazing. lots of food to choose from and very fresh. desserts were so yummy. the dog show was great to watch. book now you won't be disappointed"
"What an experience! Travelling on the steamer was amazing. The views and scenery were unreal! The BBQ was a massive buffet with so much variety and quantity. The farm surrounds were beautiful. Did I mention the views? Loved all of it."
"lovely ride across the water in the tss earnshaw. the food at Walters peak was fantastic and the sheepdog show was a bonus"
"What a wonderful night we had the steam ship was amazing to see running the food was Devine. The show was interesting. The trip back was fantastic with the piano and the sing along. Overall well worth the trip."
Read all 3,194 verified reviews
See All ReviewsBook the Walter Peak BBQ Cruise Across Lake Whakatipu
Three and a half hours from the RealNZ Visitor Centre: 45 minutes across Lake Whakatipu, two hours at Walter Peak High Country Farm with a BBQ buffet and a farm dog show, and 45 minutes back. Rated 4.8 by 3,194 guests on the booking platform. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from $99 per person.
Check Availability & BookCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
More tours here from the booking platform. Each listing states its own cancellation terms.
Queenstown Tours FAQ
The questions people ask before booking a guided day tour from Queenstown, answered in the first sentence. Tour details come from each operator's listing.
For a half day from town, the Walter Peak crossings, the TSS Earnslaw, a Gibbston wine tour and a 4WD tour cover most of what people book. RealNZ's Walter Peak BBQ cruise is rated 4.8 from 3,194 reviews and the Queenstown Wine Trail day 4.9 from 367. All of them start in the town centre and last 1.5 to 5.5 hours. The Queenstown tours comparison sets them side by side.
The crossing is the same; what you do at the farm changes. All three take 3.5 hours with a cruise on the TSS Earnslaw or the Spirit of Queenstown: the BBQ tour adds a buffet and a farm dog show, the farm tour adds a guided farm tour and morning or afternoon tea, and the horse trek adds 40-45 minutes in the saddle. See the Walter Peak farm tour.
Yes: RealNZ sells a 90-minute cruise on its own. It includes commentary, a small onboard museum and a look at the engine room, where stokers feed the coal fire. Food and drinks are not included, and the operator says parking is not available at the pier. See the TSS Earnslaw cruise.
Queenstown Wine Trail's tour takes 5.5 hours and visits three wineries in Gibbston. The itinerary lists Kinross (tasting and lunch), Mt Rosa and Gibbston Valley Winery, with 30 minutes in the van each way. Lunch is a main meal paired with a glass of wine; gratuities are extra and under-18s cannot join. See the wine and food tour.
No: the film locations frame a wider off-road tour of the Wakatipu Basin. The four hours include Kawarau Gorge, a gold mining road up the Arrow River with river crossings, gold panning and the entrance to Skippers Canyon. A guest from Australia called it "Around 1/4 LOTR and 3/4 everything else." See the 4WD tour.
They run subject to the weather, and RealNZ offers another date or a full refund if it cancels. Every tour on the page also cancels free up to 24 hours before. The TSS Earnslaw goes out for annual maintenance each year (in 2026 from 18 May to 27 June), when the Spirit of Queenstown covers the Walter Peak trips. Check dates for the Walter Peak BBQ.
The Walter Peak farm tour and the 90-minute boat trip, which their listings pitch at families. The BBQ cruise is listed as suitable for all ages. The horse trek has a minimum age of 7, a minimum height of 120 cm and a 95 kg limit, and the wine tour does not take under-18s. The 90-minute boat trip is the shortest option.
Yes, but both are long days rather than half days from town. This page covers the shorter tours that start and end in Queenstown. The long days to Aoraki/Mount Cook, and what they involve, are on the Mount Cook tours page.
Still have questions? Email us at info@southislandguidedtours.com